2016-09-15

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 7, 2016) – Cayden Lapcevich will become the youngest NASCAR champion in the history of the organization on Saturday when he takes the green flag in the Kawartha 250 at Kawartha Speedway and is crowned after the NASCAR Pinty's Series season finale. However, there are still several drivers looking to end the season on a positive note. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the series and selected drivers at the track.

Kawartha 250 Setup:• Cayden Lapcevich will break the record for youngest champion in the set by former Daytona 500 champion and current NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup contender Joey Logano. Logano won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title when he was 17 in 2007.• Lapcevich can also clinch the car owners championship for his car owner and mom, Sherri, by finishing 17th or higher.

• D.J. Kennington became the first driver in the history of the NPS to record 100 top-10 finishes with his second-place run last weekend at St. Eustache. He also joins Jason Hathaway as the only drivers to start every race in the history of the series (120).

At Kawartha Speedway:• Has welcomed the NASCAR Pinty's Series nine times previously. Held its inaugural NPS event on Sept. 23, 2007, which was won by Scott Steckly.• Four drivers have participated in all nine previous events, and three of the four are expected to extend the streak this week. Those are: Mark Dilley, Jason Hathaway and D.J. Kennington.• The nine previous races have produced five different winners, led by D.J. Kennington's three.• Only J.R. Fitzpatrick, with two, has earned more than one pole across the eight series visits.• Dodge has been the winning manufacturer in seven of nine events.• The 2008 and 2009 races were cut short by rain.• Hathaway and Steckly earned their first career victory at Kawartha.• There has yet to be a wire-to-wire victory at Kawartha.• Steckly became the first driver to win from the pole in 2013, a feat duplicated by Fitzpatrick a year later.• Pete Shepherd III was the youngest Kawartha race winner at 24 years, one month and 12 days in 2010.• Steckly was the oldest Kawartha victor at 41 years, six months and 20 days in 2013.

• Is one of two drivers that have participated in every race in NPS history.

• Finished a career-best second in last year's final season standings.

• Has two wins (2015 & 2008), five top 10s and an average finish of eighth in the previous nine Kawartha events.

D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge Dodge)• The 2010 and 2012 NPS champion maintains series records for top fives (76) and top 10s (100), and is one of two drivers to start each of the 120 all-time events.

• Ranks second in series history in wins (19), laps led (2,820) and ranks fifth in poles (11).

• Sits sixth in points after 10 races with nine top 10s and a best finish of third at CTMP in May.

• Finished seventh in last year's final season standings.

• Has three wins (2009, `11, `12), a pole (2010), eight top 10s and an average finish of fourth in nine Kawartha races.

Gary Klutt (Pioneer Family Pools/PoolSuppliesCanada.ca/CTL Dodge)• Has a win, a pole and 18 top 10s in 27 career NPS starts. Both the pole and win came in last year's season-opener at CTMP.

• Finished fifth in last year's final season standings winning Josten's Rookie of the Year honors.

• Has recorded finishes of 11th last year and 22nd his track debut in 2014 at Kawartha.

Alex Labbe (No. 32 Cam-Am/Kappa/Cyclops Gear/Lou's BBQ Ford)

• Has one win (Chaudiere – 2016) five poles, nine top fives and 15 top 10s in 26 career starts.

• Recorded two wins in seven starts during his rookie season in 2015. Won road races at Circuit ICAR and Circuit de Trois-Rivieres.

• Won from the pole at Trois-Rivieres for the second year in a row in August and last week at CTMP.

• Is the first driver in series history to record two victories in their rookie season.

• Became the first driver in the history of the series to win a caution-free race last year at ICAR.

• Finished 21st in his first visit to Kawartha last season.

Cayden Lapcevich (No. 76 Fastline Motorsports Dodge)

• Has made 16 career starts in the NASCAR Pinty's Series and recorded his first career win at Wyant Group Raceway in July. He picked up his second win three weeks ago in Riverside.

• Enters this race leading the NPS points standings by 30 points over Andrew Ranger (415-385).

• Finished sixth in his lone start at Kawartha last year and he will clinch the 2016 NASCAR Pinty's Series championship when he takes the green flag.

Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Mopar/Pennzoil Dodge)• The 2007 and 2009 champion is the series' all-time leader in wins at 22 and holds the record for the poles with 19. Has 53 top fives and 78 top 10s in 94 career starts.

• Finished third in last year's final season standings.

• Has an average finish of 10th and a best result of second (2012) in five previous Kawartha appearances.

Alex Tagliani (No. 18 EpiPen/CGI/CanTorque Chevrolet)• Has five wins, seven poles and 16 top fives, 26 top 10s in 43 career NPS starts.

• Three of his five wins at have come on the ovals (Sunset Speedway 2015-16 and Edmonton).

• Has made two starts at Kawartha with a best finish of seventh last year.

Up To Speed:

• The 2016 season is the first for new series sponsor Pinty's and the 10th overall for the Canadian-based NASCAR division.

• The 2016 schedule features 12 races at 11 different tracks across five provinces and a return to the road course in Toronto as part of the IndyCar weekend in July.

• Quebec native Andrew Ranger took the lead on the penultimate lap of the season opening race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park to score the win.

• Alex Tagliani made Quebec drivers two-for-two this season after he won the Leland Industries 300 at Sunset Speedway for his third career series victory.

• Alex Labbe won from the pole last weekend in an exciting finish with rookie Cayden Lapcevich. It was Labbe's first career win.

• Andrew Ranger retook the points lead and also became the first multi-race winner of the season with his third win at ICAR two weeks ago.

• Alex Tagliani was able to hold off Andrew Ranger in a green-white-checkered finish in the series return to the road course in Toronto for his second win of the season.

• Alex Tagliani took the lead on Lap 88 and remained out front the rest of the way to score his second consecutive win and third of the season at Edmonton. Tagliani will try and become the first driver since Scott Steckly in 2013 to win three NPS races in a row.

• After finishing second twice earlier this season, Josten's Rookie of the Year contender Cayden Lapcevich scored his first series win at Wyant Group Raceway. He also became the youngest winner in the history of the series.

• Kevin Lacroix set a new track record in qualifying and went on to lead every lap at Trois-Rivieres to pick up his second straight win at the historic road course and third win of his career.

• Rookie Cayden Lapcevich took the lead from Jason Hathaway with 10 laps remaining to score his second win of the season and overtake the points lead in the process.

• Kevin Lacroix kept the winning streak alive of Josten's Rookie of the Year contenders taking the checkered flag as he picked up his second win of the season and fourth of his career at CTMP.

• Cayden Lapcevich kept the winning streak by Josten's Rookie of the Year contenders alive and also took a big step towards securing his first NASCAR Pinty's Series championship with his third win of the season at Autodrome St-Eustache in the Lucas Oil 250.